Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

Community TV

Community television produces local programmes, made and viewed by the community, to empower the people and enhance development. The management and content varies between developed and developing countries, so both will be examined.

Public access television in the USA Davis Community Television (DCTV) (http://www.dctv.davis.ca.us/) has a mission to strengthen the community by using public access television to: • Facilitate the sharing of information • Enhance community dialogue • Encourage individual and artistic expression • Create an awareness of local interests, views and cultures • Provide a vehicle for collaborative problem-solving • Promote community involvement Programs produced through the DCTV facilities are the sole responsibility of the volunteer producers involved. DCTV's staff provides assistance when asked but does not influence content in any way. In this way, the programs seen on DCTV channel 5 reflect the diverse interests and viewpoints of the Davis community. This model in the USA shows how the local community can create and then learn from programmes about local issues.

New independent television station in New Orleans - costs According to http://www.inc.com/magazine/19900101/4988-2.html, Barbara Lamont has set up a new independent TV station, WCCL. This is not community television for development, as many of the programs are commercial; however, it shows an example of how a full-equipped station in the developed world manages it budget, etc. She spent about $3.6 million on land as well as transmission and broadcast equipment -- a good price, thanks to bargains such as the state-of-the-art production equipment that she bought, slightly used, after it had been deployed at the Seoul Olympics. WCCL projects annual expenses of only $2.2 million (due to old re-runs). To cover her yearly nut, she figures she'll need about a 4.5% market share and nearly $4 million in sales. She projected net ad sales of about $1.7 million for her first operating year, ending June 30th 1990; that would translate into a net operating loss of $508,000 and -- after taking into consideration fixed expenses such as loan interest and equipment lease costs -- an after-tax net loss of $1.9 million. But by fiscal 1991 she expects to achieve her 4.5% market share and to report operating profits of $1.6 million (after-tax profits would run about $175,000). Keeping the focus on Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

cash flow, she hopes to turn a first-year negative of $816,000 into an impressive $1.2 million in positive cash by year two.

Community TV Channel in UK The Community Channel (http://www.communitychannel.org/) is dedicated to inspire people to do more with their lives, by increasing the amount of original programmes featured directly from communities across the UK. It is available on Sky Digital, Telewest Channel, and Freeview.

Community based media in Ireland Northern Visions (http://www.northernvisions.org/whoweare.htm) maintains an independence from profit led or broadcast interests, leading to a diversity of programme making from fiction films and documentaries for television to low budget community productions. The provision of skilled support services, both people and technical, releases high quality programming and has offered opportunities to local people marginalised by television or denied self and/or collective expression. Northern Visions, precisely because of this independence, has been able to develop long term working relationships with local people and communities and offer genuine access to resources and services.

Costs of Amateur TV equipment in Canada According to http://www.gpfn.sk.ca/hobbies/rara/atv3.html#EQUIPMENT, a ham can transmit a "full motion" colour video/audio picture from one location to another. According to the proposed Canadian Band Plan, ATV hams can work on 70cm and 23cm in Canada. ATV transmitters are available from PC Electronics in the United States or from Alpha & Central in Edmonton Alberta, Canada. The transmitters come in 1 watt & 10 watt versions for 70cm and in 1 watt versions for 23cm. The 10 watt 70cm transmitter comes with a built-in downconverter and retails for about $750 CDN. The 1 watt 70cm transmitter does not have a built-in downconverter and retail for around $400 CDN. Transmitters for 23cm cost about $530 CDN. Downconverters for 70cm or 23cm run about $150 CDN.

Digital Techniques in Amateur TV According to http://www.cq-tv.com/articles/introduction.htm, it is anticipated that the digital compression and modulation techniques now used in broadcasting will be adapted to amateur use leading to conservation of bandwidth with improved range and picture quality. This shows that digital technology is being used by all degrees of television and radio transmission.

Feasibility of Community TV Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

Wantok Enterprises Ltd. (http://www.wantokent.com/) has a mission “to make it feasible for every group/organization in the world to own, operate and maintain their own community broadcast station regardless of their socio-economic conditions”.

Television standards throughout the world http://www.tvradioworld.com/directory/television_standards/default.asp explains how signals and receivers differ throughout the world. Different countries use different types of television broadcast systems, video, audio and channel systems, most of which are incompatible with each other. The website includes the Internet Broadcast Directory and Listing of Radio Television Stations on the Web.

http://www.openchannel.se/cat/index.htm also gives worldwide links to 600 Community & Public Access Television sites.

Financing Public Access TV http://www.openchannel.se/cat/index.htm states that in Denmark non-commercial local television will be governmental supported by fees both from commercial TV- stations and the license fee.

In the United States approx. 2,000 access channels are financed by the cable operators through concession agreements with the local governments which will provide one or more local non-commercial must-carry channels including free production equipment and training for local citizens. In general there are three types of access TV in the U.S. public, governmental and educational access. In some smaller cities PEG is combined into one channel.

Commercials Also according to http://www.openchannel.se/cat/index.htm, in the Netherlands some local access channels are allowed to carry commercials if the income is used solely for running the TV station. But in general the idea of access television is not to become dependent upon commercial financing.

Fiji Community TV: Problems with Licensing Charges Fiji Community Television is run by volunteers and broadcasts educational programmes daily. It gives the people their own channel and one which elevates the quality of life.

CTV, funded by WACC (http://www.wacconline.org.uk/404.php) from 1998-2000, does not get any Government funds for providing non-profit, Public Service broadcasting. Furthermore they are charged the same licence fees as the commercial station. Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

Without charge messages are broadcast from various ministries (Youth and sport, Health, Water supplies, Agriculture etc.). Four years ago the Ministry of Finance allowed us to import equipment and waived the duty but not the VAT. This is the stance of the various Fiji Governments that have come to power. We have to pay licence fees to the Government F$1,350 for each of the broadcast spectrums that we use plus $250 for the actual TV licence (yearly).

This last fee has been reduced from the original $1,100 after four years of appeals. Our annual fees that were $3,800 are now reduced to $2,950.

As far as we can ascertain Community Stations in other countries pay much less… in Australia $411 PA, New Zealand $50, and radio stations are a lot less.

I feel that the problem is that when the Fiji Government set the licence fees by statute in 1992 they did not take into account that there could be such a thing as non-commercial broadcasting with less ability to generate revenue for fees.

The ministry will not withdraw the licence as the channel is so popular that there would be a hue and cry.

A later report from http://www.wacconline.org.uk/404.php shares the positive responses from one of the station’s organisers: "We're about to expand - people have donated premises in the capital city, Suva; people have said they would help us to the north at Rakiraki and Ba to extend our three language service. We are going from strength to strength - all on voluntary help and donations. The station produces clean wholesome educational programmes for the whole family. Ministers should support the channel. Perhaps the ministers could persuade the government to give Community TeleVision a kick-start with funds which will enable it to broadcast around the country. We will then have a decent TV station.”

Akaku Maui Community Television Akaku (http://www.akaku.org/) is the non-profit public service agency providing local media access for the islands of Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i and Kaho'olawe. Akaku strives for maximum transparency and accountability to our local community. Our local cable access TV channels, Calabash TV, Visions TV and MCC-TV, are exclusively available over Oceanic Time Warner Cable. More channels and stations are in the works. The following goals are in order to empower the community’s voice through access to media: Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

• Encourage the production and cablecasting of non-commercial programs directly related to the community of Maui County. • Encourage the creation of programs aimed at preserving, developing and enhancing the diversity of thought, culture and heritage within Hawai'i. • Facilitate lifelong learning and community participation in the democratic process. • Provide equipment, facilities, training and other support resources to try and meet the needs of our community users. • Serve as a local information exchange.

Public TV in Latin America According to http://www.wacconline.org.uk/404.php, in Latin America, the concept of public television encompasses a huge variety of television systems with different ownership, different forms of financing and different emphasis in programming. Exceptionally, Paraguay and Ecuador do not have Public TV. A detailed study of public stations shows that almost all of them are facing serious problems of survival. This crisis situation can be explained by three fundamental causes that coalesce: • Poor industrial and business administration • Lack of economic support • TV programming found small audiences Therefore, a successful TV station needs:- • Stability in management and continuity in the development of long-term strategic planning • Professionalism in executive/administrative business management and programme-making • To take in the interests of the audience • To be involved in competition for funding • To break into commercial and dubbing networks for programmes that could be re-sold • Credibility • To be in the context of the real economic and socio-political situation of the region • To attract a large audience (compete for obvious choice in what is viewed) Thus studying the current state of public TV shows failure both in the industry and in the propaganda or schooling functions assigned to it and in the little viewed high culture broadcasts. According to Rafael Roncagliolo, public radio and television stations in Latin America 'above all else have been political tools rather than oriented towards public service and have failed to have significant socio-cultural impact.'

Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

Survival of Public TV in Latin America If it wants to survive, Public TV will have to set out to achieve substantial reforms both as a company as well as in programming that has new social functions, with socio-ethical utility that legitimises it publicly and en masse - or its channels will inevitably be subjected to the pressures of privatisation.

Effects of Privatisation, as seen by Mexico The privatisation in Mexico of public channels 7 and 13, and the establishment of TV Azteca as a second company in competition with Televisa, has only confirmed a duopoly and has not led to substantial improvement in what television offers nor to socially useful programming. The only thing privatisation has achieved is to get rid of an industry that the Mexican government did not know how to administer efficiently nor to programme televisually. In December 1996, the Colombian Congress approved a reform law introducing private TV, broadening the scope of regional TV, and creating community TV.

Community access television in South Africa Open Window Network (O.W.N.), is a national network of twenty-two community based video/television initiatives as well as service organisations working in training, production, distribution and exhibition.

O.W.N. is advancing a national program aimed at promoting community access to television in South Africa by working within a developmental context in the building of community access television in South Africa (http://videaz.tao.ca/1media/11conc/111A.htm).

Address Apartheid Redressing the imbalance of the legacy of apartheid has to be the first consideration in any movement toward the development of community television in South Africa.

For Success… The Government's Reconstruction and Development Program recognises that information and an informed population will be vital to the success of the program.

In a largely illiterate society, broadcasting has a critical role to play in the development of a participatory democracy.

If community television is to play this role effectively then we need to take the notion of access a step further. South Africa's unique history has given South Africans a deep sense of participation and ownership of the political process. Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

Communities, or at least sectors of communities, are well organised and coherent. The social foundations for the success of community television have been sown. Community television can contribute to this by enhancing communities' ability to communicate with itself and the world.

In order to make this possible, community television needs to be developed from the bottom up over a period of time through distinct developmental phases.

Training A National training program involves numerous training institutions around the country and the building of Video Access Centres (VAC) in areas where no such production capacity exists.

Licenses and Signals When VACs build up sufficient capacity they will apply to the Independent Broadcasting Authority for a community television licence to broadcast. The network is presently debating various signal distribution options, looking into ways in which community television stations can share programming material over the long term. Serious attention is being given to the Consortium model. This model has already been through two test transmissions in the Durban and Cape Town metropolitan areas. Satellites are also being looked into as a future means of redistributing community programming nationally.

Time for Action Now is the time to enshrine the notion of community access and participation within the new South Africa by linking it permanently to information and communication technologies.

Conditions for a community broadcasting licence in South Africa The genesis of the GDTV (Greater Durban Television) project (http://www.und.ac.za/und/ccms/mike/gdtv2.html) was the establishment of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) in 1993, which cleared the way for the formation of electronic community access media in South Africa. The IBA Act stipulates that the following conditions must be met for a community broadcasting licence to be granted: • The applicant must operate a non-profit entity like a Section 21 Company or a Trust as the governing structure. Any profit that is made must go back into the station or the community which it serves. • A CTV station must provide a service for a community. This may be a geographical community or a community of interest. • The community broadcaster must operate with the support and participation of the community it serves. Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

• The station should be viable financially and in terms of capacity and the skills of the trustees. Finances can be gathered from a number of sources including advertising, sponsorship, grants and donations, membership subscriptions etc. http://www.und.ac.za/und/ccms/mike/transmit.html shows the set-up for the equipment at GDTV:

Local television stations in Honduras http://videaz.tao.ca/1media/12exp/129A.htm describes how due to the mountainous relief of Honduras, televised broadcasting encounters many obstacles and, despite its small size, none of the six private TV channels can reach the whole country. Reception is only possible in the central zone and part of the north.

Therefore separate communications were developed in a number of communities as of 1990.

The initiative grew out of new technology such as cable transmission, portable recording equipment, but particularly out of people's interest in keeping abreast of what is happening in the country and the rest of the world.

Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

Many communities only received news through the radio, which is not a bad thing, but considering the sparse educational and recreational activities in the area, not having television was a disadvantage.

Example ACATEL SA (Asociación de Cable y Televisión) was established in Sabá, Colón, a town dedicated to farming and livestock raising. A group of teachers organized a cooperative to have a cable system installed and transmit programs on community activities. Sports, social, religious and political events of import to local viewers are broadcast from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Impacts In terms of communication, the experience is positive since the broadcasts serve to shape opinion, to hold educational drives and to put forward thinking that responds to local interests. It also breaks the monopoly of national television networks.

Problem There is, however, the problem of copyright since these small cable companies do not pay for the right to use the programming; only the big cable companies in Honduras meet this requirement.

Future We believe that community cable TV will continue to grow as the technology becomes cheaper and the demand for "different" information increases among the inhabitants of isolated communities in the country.

Training Praxis Video intends to train people working for these alternative channels to improve the quality of their productions; advise them on technology, management and programming; and provide them with video materials that have a regional and Latin American focus, thereby contributing to the development of our countries.

Local Television Stations in Ghana http://www.tvradioworld.com/region3/gha/ lists the TV stations in Ghana. • Metro TV • TV3 • GTV- Ghana Television (National Television Network), • GhanaNet Television (Internet Television Station), • Fantazia TV, M-Net Ghana, V-Net TV (Cable / Satellite Television Broadcasters) Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

• MultiChoice Ghana (Television Broadcasting Services). • Receiving and Rebroadcasting ABC programmes (Australia) by community stations (http://www.abc.net.au/reception/services/selfhelp_howmuch.htm) When estimating the set-up costs of a Self-help facility, there are a number of points to consider: • The number of services required • The size of the community and the extent to which it is concentrated or spread out. • Systems which rebroadcast signals over the air may be easier to comminssion and therefore less costly than cable systems. However, a cable system may be the only available option particularly for groups in densely populated areas. • The transmitted power of the proposed system • Requirements for masts, transmitting antennas and equipment accommodation • Site preparation, installation and frieght charges • Planning approvals from local council • Power establishment at site • Site security such as fencing for safety and damage prevention When planning a Self-help system communities should also allow for on-going costs: • Future maintenance costs. A maintenance agreement with a professional company may prove beneficial. Some groups enter into maintenance contracts in which the contractor guarantees to fix faults within a specified time frame to ensure that services spend less time off air. • Insurance should be taken out against damage to equipment • Electricity costs • There may be an annual fee if the Self-help service shares an existing mast or building • An annual fee is charges for the issue of a transmitter licence for a rebroadcasting facility (transmitter). The cost is in the order of $26 per year, per transmitter.

Equipment and Installation The table below gives estimated set-up equipment costs only (in 2000 AUD), for mid range quality equipment. The prices are indicative and do not contain all the elements required. The ABC strongly recommends that a broadcasting consultant be employed and firm quotes received from several suppliers.

Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

10W 100W 1000W Service (ABA Category A) (ABA Category B) (ABA Category B) TV transmitter $15,000 $31,000 $65,000 (includes mast) FM Radio $8,000 $15,000 $26,000 transmitter (includes mast) Off Air Receiver $1000-$5000 $1000-$5000 $1000-$5000 Satellite Receiver* $2,500-$15,000 $2,500-$15,000 $2,500-$15,000 *Satellite dishes range in size from 1.5m to 3.7m. Larger dishes have greater immunity to rain fade. Domestic receivers would generally be at the lower end of the price range given above.

It should be noted that costs can vary substantially between individual sites. The above estimates do not include provision for: • On-going costs • Power establishment at a new site

Costs of a rebroadcasting system According to http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF- 8&q=TV+Broadcasting+equipment+costs&spell=1, depending upon the quality and durability of the equipment you purchase, the total cost for a single rebroadcast system (one rebroadcast station) could range from around $15K to $5K. Prices for equipment are available on the web, via the links on the NWSH- maintained EMWIN page.

Recurring costs of a community TV station, Dublin www.activelink.ie/cmf/dwl/ctv_rep.pdf gives a table of recurring costs for a community TV staion in Dublin in 2002: RECURRING COSTS In Euro Equipment maintenance & depreciation 52500 Annual transmission cost 20000 Salaries and labour costs (approx) Manager (1) 65000 Partnership, Outreach, Fundraising (1) 50000 Training and production (3) 117000 Technical support (1) 38000 Admin, accounting (1) 35000 Support (1) 25000 Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

RECURRING COSTS In Euro Video/broadcast materials 30000 Training equipment and materials 15000 Outreach, promotion, publishing budget 30000 Travel and subsistence 10000 Printing, postage etc. 6000 Photocopy lease & maintenance 4000 Office materials 5000 Utilities 8000 Phone 8000 Premises services and maintenance 9000 Audit, Accountancy etc. 15000 Professional services 30000 Evaluation and monitoring 25000 Staff development and training 30000 Insurance 10000 Total Recurring Costs 637500 Rent 505 sq.m. @ ¤180 each 90900 Investment in Medium Term Development 60000 Total Including Rent 788400

Expenses for Olelo Community TV 'Olelo Community Television (http://www.olelo.org/_board/2004%20Operating%20Budget.pdf) is O'ahu's PEG access provider. The site gives the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2004 (January 1, 2004 – December 31, 2004):

EXPENSE Description FY 2004 Budget Personnel 2279055.37 Payroll Taxes & Fringe Benefits 676195.73 Employee Relations 18016.00 Employee Development 18580.00 Outside labor 44450.00 Augo Expense 12673.50 Repairs & Maintenance 156738.10 Advertising & Promotion 87640.00 Client Relations 24534.00 Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

Description FY 2004 Budget Rent 447150.00 Computer Services & Supplies 4360.00 Acctg & Auditing Fees 18100.00 Bank & Trust Fees 28296.00 Depreciation 900000.00 Dues & Subscriptions 12594.06 Insurance Expenses 100606.00 Admin Service Fee 4540.00 Legal & Professional Fees 157750.04 License Fees & Permits 1130.00 Video Tapes 27404.00 Training Materials 2100.00 Office Supplies 36500.00 Postage & Shipping 11000.00 Printing & Reproduction 21370.00 Public Relations 15100.00 Production Supplies 22795.00 Taxes 57130.50 Telephone 18485.00 Travel 16000.00 Utilities 190590.00 Public Contracts & Grants Expense 35311.00 Edu Contracts & Grants Expense 975000.00 Govt Contracts & Grants Expense 86779.00 TOTAL EXPENSES 6507973.30

Mauri community TV station costs less than a national channel http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3556330&thesection=news& thesubsection=general&thesecondsubsection=&reportID=462584 reported on 23rd March 2004 that a Far North Maori group has received a $115,000 taxpayer grant to set up a regional television station, just as the Government spends millions developing a national Maori channel. This shows how local community stations are far cheaper than the cost of setting up a national channel.

Cost of community TV station http://www.freep.com/index/religion.htm reported on 3rd March 2004 that 'the $18,000 cost to get the license and set up the station was paid for with a federal grant'.

Katherine Wagner Gamos Ltd.

Costs of Community TV Pilot Project, Bankilare The pilot project at Bankilare (http://www.wantokent.com/Tv.htm) is a new development within the RANET-Africa Programme for community television delivery. In February 2003, the anticipated costs were given: 'While it is difficult to give a solid quote on the final unit, we expect it to come in around the same cost as a 50 watt Wantok community FM radio (US$ 4000.00). This does not include the cost of TV receivers, nor does it address recovery of the US$35,000.00 already spent on research development or that which is still to come to fine tune the whole community TV broadcast system.'

Summary: Community TV There are many local community channels in developed countries, especially the USA. However, the aims these stations will have are different to the development aims encompassed within community TV in developing countries. Many of these stations in developed countries, particularly commercial stations, receive a large proportion of their funding from advertisements and commercials. Although some community stations in developing countries have experienced problems with paying the license fees, commercials may not be ideal for sustainable and appropriate development in poor countries. The effects of privatization of public access TV channels have proved, by the example of Mexico, to show no improvement in socially-useful programming, so will take away the opportunity for development this media might have contained before. As seen by the case of community TV in South Africa, the project must be tailored to the specific history, culture and environment of the local community. In this case, to gain an audience and promote appropriate development, the issues of apartheid have to be addressed. Therefore, each new station or channel will be different, with its own personal identity. All the examples of community TV highlight the importance of training; to provide the local people with the capability to produce quality programmes, and to improve development through each other.